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March 23, 2010

UPDATE: I heard the hostel had to close in 2010. Not sure when or if they'll open again.

The Welcome 51A is a very nice little hostel in the heart of Macau. I went there in March 2010 and stayed over for 2 nights. I had a single room for myself with a big bed (see pics).

If you're in Macau for the first time, you may get a bit lost like I did! Unfortunately I had a very bad map. Macau is full of tiny little streets and lanes, it's good if you have a very detailed map. You can also save a map of Macau I made here [My big Macau map]. That one will spare you a lot of walking. Best is you ask the cabby to drop you off at Senado Square and then you just walk for about 10 min [follow the green path on my map] and you'll reach the Welcome 51A [click to enlarge the photo on the left]. Just remember that the hostel is located in a street, that is split in two tiny lanes, where they sell all kinds of stuff on the ground. Please check the photos below. The road's name is Travessa da Dorna.

The owner of the hostel is Amy. She's a very nice young woman (probably around my age) and she's fluent in Mandarin and English. They also have rooms for more people, like typical hostels. Last time I was there, it wasn't overcrowded, I haven't seen or heard many people. The whole hostel is located on 3 floors and some of the rooms have their balconies. I was lucky that I could have that one. I paid 399HKD per night (or same as in Patacas), which makes (as for May 2010): 40 Euros, 1620 NTD, 51USD, 71SGD and 166RM per night).

Ok, now have a look at the room and around the hostel:

My room: It's very big and air conditioned.

On the opposite side: The toilet and a shower and a cabinet with locks.

I had to go and check the view from the balcony. This is the street below.

The view to the left: One street gets split in two tiny lanes.

The view on the left: You can see the Grand Lisboa, if it's not foggy. It's a great view.

The TV needs some time to get a clear image. Most are Chinese channels, but also few US.

The hostel gives you blankets, but bring your own towels.

The window on the left should be kept open. On the right is the hostel's shampoo.

The hallway on the second floor with the narrow stairs.

The entrance to the Welcome 51A hostel.

This is the lane that leads to the hostel, if you come from the Senado Square's direction.

All in all, this hostel is really great. Within few minutes, you're near the Ruins of St. Paul's, Fortaleza do Monte or the famous Senado Square. If you stay here, you get to experience the real Macau, because you're right in the middle of its historic center. I really enjoyed my Macau trip also because of the hostel. So if you're a backpacker like me, your needs will definitely be satisfied. If you have any questions, feel free to ask below.